THE OFFICE OF RAIL AND ROAD 139th BOARD MEETING 09:00 -14:30 TUESDAY 25th SEPTEMBER 2017 ONE KEMBLE STREET, LONDON WC2B 4AN

Non-executive members: Stephen Glaister (Chair), Tracey Barlow, David Franks, Anne Heal, Bob Holland, Michael Luger, Justin McCracken, Graham Mather

Executive members: Joanna Whittington (Chief Executive), John Larkinson (Director Railway Markets and Economics), Ian Prosser (Director Railway Safety), Graham Richards (Director Railway Planning and Performance).

In attendance: Dan Brown (Director Strategy and Policy), Russell Grossman (Director Communications), Juliet Lazarus (Director Legal Services and Competition), Tess Sanford (Board Secretary)

Peter Antolik (Director Highways Monitor) and Freya Guinness (Director Corporate Operations and Organisational Development) attended for items 1-6. Other ORR staff in attendance are shown in the text.

Item 1 WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

1. The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. There were no apologies for absence.

Item 2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

3. There were no new declarations of interest in relation to the planned business. During the meeting, Justin McCracken reminded colleagues of his previously declared interest in Ombudsman Services Ltd where he is a director.

Item 3 APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING

4. The minutes were approved.
5. Two matters arising remained outstanding: Ian Prosser would include a note on ORR’s role in RSSB’s constitution in his monthly report in October; John Larkinson updated the HS2 item in his oral report.

Item 4: HEADLINES AND REGULAR REPORTS

06. Ian Prosser updated the Board on: investigations following derailments in August, the industry working group on freight loading issues, continuing delays to SMIS+ (although the reduced PIM continues to be stable), the publication of a refreshed RM3, and Eurotunnel’s Eleclink project. He pointed out one error in the report which would be corrected for October.

07. The board noted the apparent benefits of international cooperation described by Ian and retrospectively approved an agreement with the South African rail safety regulator. A fuller report of the work ORR does internationally would be brought in January [Action: Ian Prosser/forward programme].

08. Graham Richards described changes to the information pack. He reported on: the high number of possessions over August, noticeable differences in the level of snagging needed subsequently, progress with the Thameslink 2018 timetable, work on IEP authorisations. The board asked for more explanation about what changes in the AMEM scores indicated. [Action: Graham Richards, October]

09. **John Larkinson** reported that: ORR’s approach to issues arising from access on HS2 was shortly to be published; a short consultation by ORR on proposals for an Ombudsman was open; and gave an update on current and anticipated access right applications.

10. The board discussed ORR’s locus to drive improvements in complaint handling by TOCs.

11. **Joanna Whittington** reported on:

- Work in Europe, including a recommendation that ORR propose that Brian Kogan should continue to sit on the IGC for the UK to offer stability for this period. The board agreed to this proposal [Action: Joanna Whittington].
- External meetings with stakeholders over the summer, particularly around PR18.
- The IS programme.

12. **Peter Antolik** reported on progress towards RIS1 optimisation, RIS2 development and discussions on funding. User engagement continued to be an area of improvement for HE.

*Feras Alshaker joined the meeting*

**Item 5 HS1 PERIODIC REVIEW**

13. The board noted the report and the consultation document. Graham Mather and Bob Holland reported on their visit to HS1 in September. Change of ownership was not expected to have an impact on the process.

**Item 6 ROAD-RAIL INTEGRATION**

*Gordon Cole, Robert Cook and Matt Westlake joined the meeting for this item.*

14. The board had commissioned this project to reflect two years after the addition of the role of Highways Monitor to ORR’s railway functions and to ask if synergies were being exploited.

15. Peter Antolik, who was leaving ORR this week, described his view of progress made and challenges remaining. The board noted the good progress made in terms of building internal capability, establishing our role and approach and developing our reputation among stakeholders.

16. The team presented the findings of the project and outlined next steps.

17. The board discussed: the degree of organisational integration possible and desirable between teams working in different areas, options for dealing with board work on highways issues, the use of external experts on highways, and wider strategic issues on roads funding and controls. The discussion would continue at the board’s awayday in October.

18. The chair thanked Peter Antolik warmly for his successful work building the Highways function and wished him well.

*Peter Antolik and Freya Guinness left the meeting.* Item 7 WATERLOO BLOCKADE

Feras Alshaker re-joined the meeting for this item

19. Graham Richards described the delivery of this major blockade and some of the issues arising. There was an ongoing RSD investigation of the derailment during the blockade.

20. The board discussed whether lessons, drawn from engineering overruns at Kings Cross and the prolonged programme of work at London Bridge, had been applied successfully. They discussed delivery including: passenger information, satisfaction and safety; the effectiveness of the alliance arrangements for delivery of the work; the impact of any ongoing issues following the blockade on performance targets. NR would conduct a full lessons learned exercise. The board discussed the importance of comprehensive planning to deliver possessions that were effective and efficient. High quality information about the underlying asset condition was also essential to enable the right priorities to be identified and delivered. Capability in these areas would need to be addressed as part of NRs transformation programme. These issues highlighted the importance of system operation and infrastructure project management functions in the future NR.

21. Directors described positive engagement and leadership by senior teams in both the outgoing and incoming TOCs to do their best for their passengers. NR’s senior team had also been prominent in monitoring and responding to progress.

Item 8 TRAM SAFETY

22. Ian Prosser updated the board on current investigations by ORR and others on the Sandilands multi-fatality tram accident. RSD continued to liaise with BTP and RAIB. He gave some background on the scale of the tram networks in the UK and the safety regimes that cover them.

23. Ian described the likely draft recommendations by RAIB and the implications of two that were directed at ORR itself. ORR would have a role in ensuring that all recommendations were considered by the industry.

24. It was agreed as a matter of good practice that the health and safety regulatory committee (HSRC) should have oversight of ORR’s responses to the recommendations directed to it. The board would also continue to receive regular updates on the investigations and reports.

Item 9 DPPP RESEARCH: ASSISTED TRAVEL

Marcus Clements, Scott Hamilton and Stephanie Tobyn joined the meeting for this item.

25. The team presented the findings of the research programme which covered Passenger Assist (PA) and Turn up and Go (TUAG). The board discussed the four key areas for action and the proposed next steps. Awareness of passenger assist was low, but the overall picture on satisfaction with PA and TUAG was encouraging. This was an area where comparisons between operators could be expected to drive improvements. The board agreed to the proposed next steps, including an industry event and publication of the research.

Russell Grossman left the meeting

Item 10 PR18 UPDATE

This item (paragraphs 26-29) has been redacted as relating to policy development

Item 11 FEEDBACK FROM COMMITTEES

30. Justin McCracken reported back from the Health and Safety Regulatory Committee meeting. The committee discussed:

- Occupational health: fitness for work guidance, the strategic chapter and the future of the programme.
- The interface system safety chapter,
- An update on assurance of RSD processes;
- Emerging business plan priorities;
- Agreement to cease the internal 6 monthly interim health and safety report which was now considered superfluous.

31. Tracey Barlow reported on Highways Committee which had discussed:

- progress on RIS2
- the second year of regional benchmarking
- HE work to rationalise performance measures,
- The forthcoming publication by DfT of KSI raw data because of disconnects between this data and previous reports.

32. Michael Luger reported on RENCO activity over the summer including the finalisation of SCS bonuses and considering CMA SCS performance appeals.

Item 13 ANY OTHER BUSINESS

33. The board discussed plans for its visits and strategy awayday on 5/6 October.
34. The Board noted the board forward programme and two sets of minutes from HSRC and ARC, approved in July.

Signed:

Stephen Glaister

25 October 2017